Improvement in binding- attachments to harvesters



R. D. BROWN.

Grain Binder.

Penbad` June 27, 1865.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIOE.

ROBERT D. BROWN, OE COVINGTON, INDIANA.

MPRovEMENT 1N BINDING ATTACHMENTSTO HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of .LetterslPatem No. 48,363, dated June 27, 1865.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, R. D. BROWN, of Covington, in the county of Fountain and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Grain-Binders for Harvestersgand I do hereby declare the fol- Y lowing to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makingfpart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view'. Fig. 2 is a verticali section on the line w. Fig. 3 isa vertical section through the frame on the line y y,

the working part displayed by the section be ing shown in relief or elevation. Fig. l is a partial vertical section, showing in elevation the sheaf-discharger and the method of operating it. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section, showing the tucking-hand and` holder in elevation after they have made their advance against the band, and just as the tucking-hand is about to rota-te on the shaft Or post to tuck the twist under the hand. Fig.' 6 is a partial vertical section, showing the holder and tucker n'elevation on the reverse side frornthat eX- hibited in Figg. Fig. 7 is a plan of the griping and twistingjaws and lingers, showing the method of operating them.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The motions of this machine are all derived from the revolutions of one shaft, and it is adapted automatically to perform the full series of operations from receiving the gavel which' is raked off theplatform toA the discharge of the bound sheaf.

A sketch will be given of the series of motions in their due Order of time, which will'be followed by a detailed description of the construction, and it may as well be understood at once that the cutting and raking arrangements, forming no part of this invention, are neither shown nor described, nor is the machine shown as mounted on wheels, as the method of deriving the motions. from the primev motor is not necessary to'a clear understanding of my invention, nor does it fallwithin the range of what I shall specify as of my origination.

The position of the frame in' and on which my binder is operated will be such relatively to the raking mechanism thatthe cradle will -upper end of be at the end ofthe rake-stroke ready to receive the gavel of grain as it is swept from the platform. I prefer a rake which traverses the platform parallel with the cutter-bar but if a f sweep-rake he employed which describes an arc of ninety degrees or a full circle, the frame containing the binder will have such a relative position as to present the cradle to catch the grain when the rake leaves it.

' A band of straw being laid across the cradle from the fork t on the cradleto the gripingfingers, the grain is deposited'by the rake within it, the butting-board rising and atten ing the butt of the sheaf by drawing in the straggling straws which project beyond the general mass of their fellows. As thebuttingboard falls hack the movable hinged side of the cradle rises and laps the gavel against the stationary side of the cradle, and carries the the hand within the range of the gripingjaws, which close upon it, while the lower end'of the band is seizedby the griping-fingers. The griping-jaws one revolution around the lingers,

other, when the tucking-hand and holder move from their position behind the cradle, advancing iu an oblique line from the butt and against the sheaf, the holding-fingers protruding into the sheaf, and there maintaining theirposition, while the tucking-hand, which is attached to a sleeve on' the holder-shaft, rotates on the latter, pushes the twisted ends under the band, and then retracing its circular track is withdrawn, together with the holder, by a spring. The sheaf is now freed by the opening of the cradle, and the discharger rising, upsets `the sheaf, butt over top, over the side, or rather the end of the machine.

The binding mechanism is supported and arranged in a rectangular frame, A A, with suitable cross-pieces B B and G C, which support the various journal-bearin gs ofthe mov# ing parts. The motionsarc derived from a prime motor, which may be the drivin g-wheels then make Y therebyV wrapping one end of the band around the A 0, on a shaftiat right angles to the shaft D.

On the shaft D isa cam, G, the tooth of which, at a suitable period of the revolution of the said shaft, comes-in contact with-the -Y forms the cradle. The cradle J consists ofn two parts.' One isstationary, and is represent?Y ed at J', and is curved to correspond `with the A form ofa sheaf. The other, J, is doubly hinged at j to a bar which passes across the machine from A to B, having bearings thereon and at j to admit ofthe movable section lying more flatly or wider open for the reception of the gavel. The movable section is raised bythe pressure of the 'cam K ot' the shaft, D upon the end of the sliding rod L, which is ljointed bva link, M, to thestrap N, on the under side of the upper section ofthe cradle J. The cam K, after it has projected the sliding rod in such a way as to close up the cradle around the sheat', retains it in that condition by the continuedimpingement otits outer curved surface' against'the end ofthe rod L. Atasuitable time the rod is released by reason of the change in the periphery ofthe cam, and, the cradle being abandoned to the influence of the straightening-springj, dies back and retracts the rod L toits former position. I A spring attaching the rodI to the frame-piece C may be placed to assist in the-retraction of' the said rod.

Next in order of time it bi comes necessary to explain the construction of the gripingjaws, wbich'have two motions, one intermittent reciprocatory and longitudinal to alter-v nately grip and release, and the other inter mittent and rotary to twist at the proper intervals of time. The pairs of griping-jaws 0 O, and griping-tingers P P, (see Fig. 7,) are attached to a sleeve, Q, and a head, R, respectively. This sleeve is restrained from longitudinal -motion by the boxing S, in which it rotates, but the mandrel T, which occupies an axial position in the sleeve Q, has a reciproeating longitudinal motion, but no rotation, as it is restrained by the shape ot' its square shaft which slides inthe bearing U. As has been said, the-griping-jaws O O are pivoted inthe sleeve Q, and a toe projects into an annular groove in the head, R, on the end of the mandrel T, while the griping-tingers P P are pivoted in the head R, and have toes which project into annular slots in the sleeve Q. The longitudinal motion ot' the mandrel T is effected by the wheel V, which has a camgroove in it's periphery, is attached to the shaft W, and is driven by the bevel-gearing E F. A vibrating lever, x, pivoted to a lug on the frame A, is attached at its upper end by a pin to the mandrel T, and at its lower end groove in the cam-Wheel V, the said groove leaves its the lever is vibrated and enga-ges with the so as whenever plane of rotation communicates a longitudinal motion tothe mandrel T, which, by the rigidity in that di-` rection ot' the sleeve Q, has the eect of expanding and closing the pairs ot' jaWsO O and fingers P P. The revolution ot' the griping-jaws, which are 4attached to the sleeve around the griping-tingers whichl are pivoted to the h ead of the mandrel,is effected by mea-ns of the engagement ot' the pinion Q on lthe sleeve with the spur-wheel Y. The vo- Yliftion of the wheel Y, as that also of the sleeve- WheelQ', is intermittent, and is produced by a pin, o, on the face of' the wheel V, which engages in the teeth y of the wheel Y, ot' which teeth y there are six, and of such shape and relation to the motion of the pin that one revolution of the wheel V rotates the wheel Y one-sixth of a revolution, and the latter, owing to its larger comparative size, rotates the sleeve Q andthe griping-jaws O 0v one full revolution for a sixth of a revolution of the wheel Y, and for a full revolution of the wheel,

V; but while a revolution of V gives a revolution ot' Q, the latter is only in motion one-sixth of its time, but. then moves at a speed six times as great as that of V. vThis intermittent motion is necessitated by the nature of the labor to be performed.

This completes the description in the order of time to the point where the ends of the straw band are twisted, and I now proceed to describe the tuckin g arrangement'for securing the twist under the band.

Thevibrating post or holder a is pivoted at its lower end to a lug, g, on the frame, and is moved in the oblique guides h by means of the projection k, which protrudes-from the periphery ofthe cam i, and also from the face of it. As the cam revolves it pushes the post before it in the guides, the post gradually leaning away fromv the plane of rotation ofthe cam, owing to lthe Obliquity ot' the guides, and by the time the post has arrived Vat the end of the slot in which it traverses, the projection on the cam leaves the post and bears against the Z-'shaped piece f, which is also pivoted to the lug g, and causes the said piece f to traverse still further in the same plane as that `in which it had been traveling with the post a. On the upper end of the post a is a sleeve, b,

with a scroll-shaped piece, c, with fingers, which I call a tucking-hand, as that fairly describes its shape, resembling the hand partly bent, and also the motion, which is that of pushing or tucking the twist under the band. On this sleeve is a pinion, e, which is engaged by the teeth of the rack f. And now resuming where we left the post a at the end of its slot, and the projection k of the cam t' passed from the post a to the piece f, we shall find that the motion of the piece f will have the effect of rotating the pinion e, and cause the tuckinghand to revolve, fingers first, around the post a, on which latter two pins d cl are placed, which by the described oblique motion of the post in its guides are thrust into the sheaf and hom the bane rigidly while the tuck is being made. As soon as theprojection k, in its continued revolution, has passedfrom contact with the piece f,'the springt forcibly raises the foot ofthe piece f, throwing itback 'against the post, retracting the tuckinghand bythe the capacity of the cradle as it will press with sufficient force against the gavel to reduce it to the required solidity, but will bend until it touches the side of the cradle when the amount ot' straw in the gavel requires the full capacity of the cradle. Y

One more motionremains to be described, which is that of the sheaidischarger, which removes the sheaf from the cradle. It `consists of a bent plate, u, on the end ot' an arm,p, attached to a .rock-shaft, g, the latter having a pin', r, resting upon the end of a pivoted lever, m. The cam on the shaftW,before described, besides carrying the projection that operates the post and rack of the tueker and holder, has a pin, r', which operates on the under side of the lever 'm to throw up the plate n, and immediately allow itto subside under the inuence of the spring s. y

Having Vthus fully described the nature,`

construction, and operation ot' my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The butting board YI, operated as described, for butting up that end ot' the sheaf.

2. The cradle constructed and operated as described, that isto say, consisting of the stationary part J and the doubly-hinged movable part J', which is raised by means of the cam K and jointed slide L M N, substantially as described. L

3.` The arrangement of the spring or springs j" on the insideorn the cradle, for the purpose of adjusting its c apacivtyto varying szesof gavels when said "sprin g is 'employed for opening the said cradle, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the .non-rotating griping-ngers P P, and the` rotating gripis twisted around the other, in the manner described. Y .7

5. The combinationoi the sliding mandrel t and head R with the rota-ting sleeve Q, furnished, respectively, with the toed griping lingers P P and gripingjaws U), which, by the protrnsion or withdrawalof the mandrel. are caused to open and shut, inthe manner described.

6. The method described ot' producing the intermittent revolution of `the sleeve, thatis ,to say, the combination ofthe wheel V'with its pin fu, and the wheel Y With its `teeth y,

complete revolution of the sleeve s' to a revolution of the wheel V, but periodically, and

due to its intermittent functions.

7. The combination of the pivoted post a, carrying the pins d d, or analogous holding devices, with the pinion-sleeve e b, carrying the point where the tuck is to be made, the said sleeve shall be rotated by a rack or other and the hand caused to push the twist or knot under the band.

8. Pushing the knot under the band by sheat' holding and twisting devices, and which is advanced for that purpose, in connection with a holder, without rotating until it reaches vthe desired point, when it is caused to rotate to push the knot under the band, while the latter is restrained by the holder from lateral displacement.

. ROBT. D. BROWN.

Witnesses: v

' EDWARD H. KNIGHT,

ALEX. A. G. KLAUCKE.

ing-jaws O O, whereby one end ot' the bund` and the sleeve-pinion Q', which secures one then at a speed commensurate with the delay a tucking-hand. c,`so that after advancing to device which is brought `to engage therewith,

means of a device which is independent ofthe 

